Form of Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
MERIDIANLINK, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
[●] Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: [●], 2021
MERIDIANLINK, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
[●] Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2021
BofA Securities, Inc.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Underwriting Agreement
c/o | BofA Securities, Inc. |
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o | Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
c/o | Barclays Capital Inc. |
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Ladies and Gentlemen:
MeridianLink, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the Selling Stockholders), confirm their respective agreement with BofA Securities, Inc. (BofA), Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit Suisse), Barclays Capital Inc (Barclays) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the Underwriters, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom BofA, Credit Suisse and Barclays are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the Representatives), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $[●] per share, of the Company (Common Stock) set forth in Schedules A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of [●] additional shares of Common Stock. The aforesaid [●] shares of Common Stock (the Initial Securities) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the [●] shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the Option Securities) are herein called, collectively, the Securities.
The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this underwriting agreement (this Agreement) has been executed and delivered.
The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that up to [] shares of the Initial Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters (the Reserved Securities) shall be reserved for sale by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (an affiliate of BofA, hereinafter referred to as Merrill Lynch) to certain persons designated by the Company (the Invitees), as part of the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Company solely determined, without any direct or indirect participation by the Underwriters or Merrill Lynch, the Invitees who will purchase Reserved Securities (including the amount to be purchased by such persons) sold by Merrill Lynch. To the extent that such Reserved Securities are not orally confirmed for purchase by Invitees by 11:59 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may be offered to the public as part of the public offering contemplated hereby.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-255680), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (Rule 430A) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the 1933 Act Regulations) and Rule 424(b) (Rule 424(b)) of the 1933 Act Regulations. The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is herein called the Rule 430A Information. Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto, at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430A Information, is herein called the Registration Statement. Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and, after such filing, the term Registration Statement shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a preliminary prospectus. The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, is herein called the Prospectus. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (EDGAR).
As used in this Agreement:
Applicable Time means [●]:[●] P.M., New York City time, on [●], 2021 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
General Disclosure Package means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus means any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 433), including without limitation any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 405)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a road show for an offering that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether
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or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Companys records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a bona fide electronic road show, as defined in Rule 433 (the Bona Fide Electronic Road Show)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.
Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
Testing-the-Waters Communication means any oral or written communication with potential investors in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act.
Written Testing-the-Waters Communication means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Companys knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, when considered together with the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, and, in each case, at the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, on the date hereof, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will
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omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time and any Date of Delivery, none of (A) the General Disclosure Package, (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package and (C) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with (x) written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein or (y) information relating to each Selling Stockholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto; it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Selling Stockholder consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of such Selling Stockholder: (i) the legal name, address and the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Selling Stockholder before and after the offering contemplated hereby; and (ii) the other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) that appears in the table and corresponding footnotes under the caption Principal and Selling Stockholders (the Selling Stockholder Information). For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished by any Underwriter shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading UnderwritingCommissions and Discounts, the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading UnderwritingPrice Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids and the information under the heading UnderwritingElectronic Distribution in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the Underwriter Information).
(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) such that no filing of any road show (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(iv) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that the Company reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the 1933 Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the 1933 Act and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The
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Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications as specifically authorized by the Company. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule C-3 hereto.
(v) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
(vi) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any individual or entity (Person) authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an emerging growth company, as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an Emerging Growth Company).
(vii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(viii) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the exclusion of certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein in all material respects. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding non-GAAP financial measures (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable.
(ix) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in
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the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a Material Adverse Effect), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(x) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (or such equivalent concept to the extent it exists under the laws of such jurisdiction), has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing (or such equivalent concept to the extent it exists under the laws of such jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable (or such equivalent concept to the extent it exists under the laws of such jurisdiction) and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, except to the extent any such security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary, except to the extent any such issuance would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.
(xii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled Actual under the caption Capitalization (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
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(xiii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xiv) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, except as have been waived in writing as of the date of this Agreement. The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto in the section titled Description of Capital Stock contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder.
(xv) Registration Rights. There are no Persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.
(xvi) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, Agreements and Instruments), except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a Governmental Entity), except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption Use of Proceeds) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any law, statute, rule,
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regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, except, in the case of clause (ii) above, for any violation that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the ability of the Underwriters to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. As used herein, a Repayment Event means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any Person acting on such holders behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(xvii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiarys principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xix) Accuracy of Disclosures. The statements set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock, BusinessGovernment Regulation and Underwriting, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair.
(xx) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xxi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA, (B) where the failure to obtain such filing, authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the ability of the Underwriters to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (C) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Reserved Securities were offered.
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(xxii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, Governmental Licenses) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Governmental Licenses and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the Company as a holder of any Governmental License, except where the failure to so fulfill or perform, or the occurrence of such event, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries do not own any real property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good title to all properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially and adversely interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, except to the extent that any such failure to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
(xxiv) Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use and/or practice patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions and rights in inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, Intellectual Property) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them and can acquire on reasonable terms all Intellectual Property necessary to carry on the business as proposed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus to be operated by them. Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, to the Companys knowledge, the conduct of such business does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any respect with any intellectual property rights of others. There are no material unreleased liens
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or security interests which have been filed against any of the Intellectual Property owned or purported to be owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (the Company Intellectual Property). Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) there are no third parties who have rights to any Company Intellectual Property, including no liens, security interests, or other encumbrances, other than non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course of business; (B) the Company has taken commercially reasonable steps (1) to protect its information and trade secrets that it has chosen, in the exercise of reasonable business judgement, to maintain as confidential and trade secret and no such trade secrets or confidential information have been disclosed other than to employees, representatives and agents of the Company or its subsidiaries, or parties who are bound by written confidentiality agreements or other binding obligations of confidentiality and (2) to secure, maintain or safeguard the Company Intellectual Property and its interests in the Company Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with its employees and contractors making material contributions to Company Intellectual Property; (C) to the Companys knowledge, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any Company Intellectual Property; and (D) none of the Company Intellectual Property has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except where the outcome would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, there is no pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (1) challenging the Companys rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property other than office actions in the ordinary course of patent and trademark prosecution, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (2) challenging the validity, enforceability, adequacy, or scope of any Company Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (3) asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes or otherwise violates, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as under development, infringe or violate, any patent, trademark, trade name, service name, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company and its subsidiaries are unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim. To the Companys knowledge, no employee, consultant, or independent contractor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or has been in violation of any term of any legal or contractual obligations to or with a former employer or other third party where the basis of such violation relates to such employees employment with or engagement as a contractor or consultant for the Company or any of its subsidiaries, actions undertaken while employed or engaged with the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or the ownership by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any Company Intellectual Property. Except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with and have not received any complaint from any third party alleging noncompliance with the terms of any agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property is currently licensed to the Company or any subsidiary or pursuant to which the Company or any subsidiary otherwise obtained rights in, to, or under Intellectual Property, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. There are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications within the Company Intellectual Property. Those patents comprising Company Intellectual Property are subsisting and have not lapsed and the patent applications comprising Company Intellectual Property are subsisting and have not been abandoned, except in each case in the ordinary course in the exercise of reasonable business judgment. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries are not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to make any
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payment by way of royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or licensee of, or other claimant to, any Intellectual Property, with respect to the use thereof or in connection with the conduct of their respective businesses or otherwise, other than fees payable pursuant to agreements for the license and use of Intellectual Property and technology entered in the ordinary course of business. No technology used by the Company or its subsidiaries has, to the Companys knowledge, been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual or legal obligation binding on the Company, its subsidiaries, or any of their officers, directors, employees, or contractors, or in violation of any contractual rights of any Persons. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or any federal, state, local, foreign or other governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, or any arbitrator, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries entered into or become a party to any agreement made in settlement of any pending or threatened litigation, that materially restricts or impairs its use of any Intellectual Property. No government funding, facilities or resources of a university, college, other educational institution or research center or funding from third parties was used in the development of any Company Intellectual Property, and no governmental agency or body, university, college, other educational institution or research center has any claim or right in or to any Company Intellectual Property.
(xxv) Open Source. Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) the Company and its subsidiaries have used all software and other materials distributed under a free, open source or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (Open Source Materials) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Materials; and (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has used or distributed any Open Source Materials in a manner that requires or has required (1) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit a third party to reverse-engineer any products or services owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise required by applicable law; or (2) any products or services owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, to be (i) disclosed or distributed to third parties in source code form, (ii) licensed for the purpose of a third party making derivative works, or (iii) redistributable to third parties at no charge.
(xxvi) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is or has been in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, Hazardous Materials) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, Environmental Laws), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) to the Companys
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knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxvii) Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, maintain a system of effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rules 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act)) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Companys most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) (it being understood that this subsection shall not require the Company to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law) and (2) no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(xxviii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, it will be in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and is actively, or will be, taking steps to enable it to be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect, upon the effectiveness of such provisions, or which will become applicable to the Company at all times after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(xxix) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed by them have been filed or a timely extension has been requested thereof and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or to the extent any failure to file or pay such taxes or assessments would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 have been filed, and to the Companys knowledge no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company in accordance with GAAP or where the failure to do so would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xxx) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes is generally maintained by companies of established repute, of comparable size and engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(xxxi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act).
(xxxii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor, to the Companys knowledge, any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.
(xxxiii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates (including any director, officer, employee or to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other Person acting on their behalf) is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by any of the foregoing of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA) or any other applicable domestic (including state or local) or foreign anti-corruption laws (collectively, Anti-Corruption Laws), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any Person, including without limitation any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of Anti-Corruption Laws. The Company, its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxxiv) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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(xxxv) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a Person currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(xxxvi) Export and Import Compliance. The Company has at all times in the last five years conducted its export and related transactions in accordance with (i) all applicable U.S. export, re-export, and anti-boycott Laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations and U.S. economic sanctions Laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control and (ii) any other applicable import and export controls in the other countries in which the Company conducts business, in all material respects.
(xxxvii) Sales of Reserved Securities. In connection with any offer and sale of Reserved Securities outside the United States, each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it was filed, complied and will comply in all material respects with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the same is distributed. The Company has not offered, or caused the Representatives or Merrill Lynch to offer, Reserved Securities to any person with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company or any of its affiliates to alter the customers or suppliers level or type of business with any such entity or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any of its affiliates, or their respective businesses or products.
(xxxviii) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
(xxxix) No Rated Securities. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act).
(xl) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
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(xli) Related-Party Transactions. There are no relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(xlii) Cybersecurity. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the Companys knowledge, there has been no security breach or incident, loss or destruction of or damage to, unauthorized use, access, modification, or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, equipment, technology, facilities, data and databases used in the business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries (including data and personally identifiable information of or relating to their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors, and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by or for the Company or its subsidiaries (collectively, IT Systems and Data). The IT Systems and Data are sufficient for, and operate and perform, in each case, in all material respects as required by, the operation of the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries and in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications. The Company has implemented industry standard measures that are designed to ensure that the IT Systems and Data are free of any viruses, back doors, Trojan horses, time bombs, worms, drop dead devices or other similar undocumented Software or hardware components that are designed to interrupt use of, permit unauthorized access to, or disable, damage or erase, any Software material to the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (Contaminants), and to the Companys knowledge, the IT Systems and Data are free from any such Contaminants. The Company and its subsidiaries have at all times implemented and maintained commercially reasonable and appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards designed to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data, including commercially reasonable backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans, procedures, and measures. Such controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards have been implemented and maintained by the Company and its subsidiaries in a manner consistent with applicable industry standards and practices and compliant in all material respects with applicable laws, regulations, all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator, any governmental or regulatory authority, and all applicable policies and contractual obligations, in each case, relating to privacy, information security, and the use and processing of data, and the protection of such IT Systems and Data from loss, destruction, damage, and unauthorized use, access, modification, disclosure, or other compromise.
(xliii) Data Privacy and Security Legal Obligations. The Company and its subsidiaries (A) have operated their respective businesses in a manner compliant in material respects with all applicable laws, regulations, generally adopted industry standards, and contractual obligations applicable to the receipt, collection, handling, sharing, transfer, usage, security, disclosure, storage, or other processing of all user and customer data, personally identifiable information, financial data, IP addresses, device identifiers and website and online service usage activity and device data (Personal and Device Data) by or for the Company and its subsidiaries (Privacy Legal Obligations), (B) have implemented, maintained, and complied with, and are in compliance with policies and procedures designed to ensure the Companys and its subsidiaries compliance with Privacy Legal Obligations and the privacy, integrity, security and confidentiality of all Personal and Device Data received, collected, handled, shared, transferred, used, secured, disclosed, stored and/or otherwise processed by or for the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with the Companys and its subsidiaries operation of their respective businesses, and (C) have required and do require all third parties to which they provide, or that they permit to collect, maintain or otherwise process any Personal and Device Data (Data Processors) to maintain the privacy and security of such Personal and Device Data to the extent required by applicable Privacy Legal
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Obligations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries: (i) has received written notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Privacy Legal Obligations, and has no actual and specific knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action required by any governmental or regulatory agency pursuant to any Privacy Legal Obligation; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any material obligation or liability under any Privacy Legal Obligation.
(xliv) Finders Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finders fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(xlv) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), for which the Company or any member of its Controlled Group (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code)) would have any liability (each, an ERISA Plan) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that could not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any ERISA Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption, that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (iii) for each ERISA Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period); (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each ERISA Plan that is a defined benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(35) of ERISA (Pension Plan) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Pension Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such ERISA Plan); (v) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (vi) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the ERISA Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of an ERISA Plan (including a multiemployer plan, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) except for a liability that could not reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; and (vii) there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any ERISA Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries.
(xlvi) Stock Options. With respect to any stock options (the Stock Options) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company
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Stock Plans), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code is so qualified as of the date of grant, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the Grant Date) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, as of the Closing Time and, if the Selling Stockholder is selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the General Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that such representations and warranties set forth in this clause (i) apply only to misstatements or omissions in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information. Such Selling Stockholder is not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder by any material information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
(ii) Valid Existence of the Selling Stockholder. If such Selling Stockholder is an entity, such Selling Stockholder has been duly organized and is validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has corporate or similar power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(iii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.
(iv) Authorization of Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement. The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, in the form heretofore furnished to the Representatives (the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder and is the valid and binding agreement of such Selling Stockholder, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles.
(v) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Stockholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or any property or assets of such Selling
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Stockholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the organizational documents, limited liability company agreement or partnership agreement or other similar agreement, as applicable, of such Selling Stockholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any of its properties, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges, encumbrances, taxes or violations, other than with respect to the Selling Stockholders organizational documents, that would not reasonably be expected to have, singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (a Selling Stockholder Material Adverse Effect).
(vi) Valid Title. Such Selling Stockholder has, and at the Closing Time and as of each Date of Delivery will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.
(vii) Delivery of Securities. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (Cede) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (DTC), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee, and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the UCC) of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim, within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code then in effect in the State of New York (UCC), to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any adverse claim, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be successfully asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Companys share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a clearing corporation, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as clearing corporation with respect to the Securities, maintains any financial asset (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriters, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.
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(viii) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which constituted or would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(ix) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by each Selling Stockholder of its obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA, (B) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Reserved Securities were offered or (C) such that, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Selling Stockholder Material Adverse Effect.
(x) No Registration or Other Similar Rights. To such Selling Stockholders knowledge, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, such Selling Stockholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement.
(xi) No Free Writing Prospectuses. Such Selling Stockholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405), and has not distributed any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
(xii) No Association with FINRA. Such Selling Stockholder has completed and delivered a FINRA Questionnaire to counsel for the Underwriters and the responses provided therein are true, correct and complete in all material respects.
(xiii) Compliance Matters. Such Selling Stockholder will not directly or indirectly use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, (i) to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, in each case to the extent prohibited by such Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions, or (ii) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Money Laundering Laws or any applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws.
(c) Officers Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders as such and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
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SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and each Selling Stockholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, that proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Stockholders, acting severally and not jointly, hereby grant an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [●] shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Stockholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a Date of Delivery) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California 94304, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the Closing Time).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Stockholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company and the Custodian pursuant to each Selling Stockholders Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, as the case may be, against delivery
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to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Each of the Representatives, individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company and, solely with respect to paragraphs (l) and (m), each Selling Stockholder, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representatives promptly, and confirm the notice in writing (which may be by electronic mail), (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or, if the Company gains knowledge of such proceeding, of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities, if the Company gains knowledge of such proceeding. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will use reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof as soon as reasonably practicable.
(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (Rule 172), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare any
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amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object in a timely manner; and provided further, that the Representatives shall be deemed to have received notice without any required action by the Company pursuant to (A) herein if any such determination was made by counsel for the Underwriters. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the 1934 Act Regulations) within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object in a timely manner.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. If required by applicable law, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statement to securityholders and the Representatives to the extent it is filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR.
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(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under Use of Proceeds.
(h) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange.
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of BofA, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file or confidentially submit any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option, warrant, or vesting of any restricted stock units, or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock or restricted stock units covering shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans or equity incentive plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any shares of Common Stock issued, options to purchase shares of Common Stock granted, or restricted stock units covering shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (E) the filing by the Company of a registration statement on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto with respect to the registration of securities to be offered under any employee benefit or equity incentive plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (F) shares of Common Stock or other securities issued in connection with the conversion of Project Angel Parent, LLC into MeridianLink, Inc. as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (G) the sale or issuance of or entry into an agreement to sell or issue shares of Common Stock or other securities issued in connection with any (1) merger, (2) acquisition of securities, businesses, properties or other assets, (3) joint venture or (4) strategic alliance or relationship; provided, that the aggregate number of shares issued pursuant to this clause (G) shall not exceed 10.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately following the issuance and sale of the Securities; provided further that the recipient of any such shares of Common Stock or securities issued pursuant to clauses (B), (C), (D) and (G) during the 180-day restricted period shall execute and deliver to the Representatives, on or prior to the issuance of such securities, a lock-up agreement substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
(j) If BofA, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up agreement described in Section 5(l) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service (or other medium and method acceptable to FINRA) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act
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within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.
(l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company and each Selling Stockholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a free writing prospectus, or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any road show for an offering that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company and each Selling Stockholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission; provided, however, that this covenant shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information or the Selling Stockholder Information.
(m) Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners. The Company and each Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Representatives, on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and the Company and each Selling Stockholder undertake to provide such additional supporting documentation as the Representatives may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing certification.
(n) Compliance with FINRA Rules. The Company hereby agrees that it will ensure that the Reserved Securities will be restricted as required by FINRA or the FINRA rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of this Agreement. Merrill Lynch will notify the Company as to which persons will need to be so restricted. At the request of the Underwriters or Merrill Lynch, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place a stop transfer restriction upon such securities for such period of time. Should the Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters and Merrill Lynch for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal expenses) they incur in connection with such release.
(o) Testing-the-Waters Materials. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission;
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provided, however, that this covenant shall not apply to any statements or omissions in a Written Testing-the-Waters Communication made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information or the Selling Stockholder Information.
(p) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(i).
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of the Companys and the Selling Stockholders obligations under this Agreement (to the extent not agreed by the Selling Stockholders to be paid by them), including: (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and the reasonable costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Companys counsel, accountants and other advisors, and counsel for the Selling Stockholders (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company or with the Companys prior written consent (which may be by electronic mail) in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, provided that the travel and lodging expenses of the Representatives shall be paid for by the Underwriters, and 50% of the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show (with the Underwriters paying for the other 50% of the cost of such chartered aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the roadshow), (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, which fees and expenses, taken together with the legal fees described in clause (v), shall not exceed $30,000, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii) and (xi) all costs and expenses of the Underwriters and Merrill Lynch, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters and counsel for Merrill Lynch, in connection with matters related to the Reserved Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to Invitees. It is further understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 4 and Section 6 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make and lodging expenses incurred by them in connection with any road show, as applicable.
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(b) Expenses of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations under, and the consummation by the Selling Stockholders of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement which are not otherwise specifically provided for in Section 4(a), including (i) any stamp and other duties and stock and other transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters and (ii) the fees and disbursements of their respective counsel and other advisors, other than those being paid for by the Company.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii), Section 10 or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters; provided that in the case of a termination pursuant to Section 10, the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse a defaulting Underwriter for such costs and expenses.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section 4 shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and each Selling Stockholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Companys knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.
(b) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received an opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Time, of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received (i) an opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Whalen LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (ii) an opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Studio Professionale Associato a Baker & McKenzie, counsel for CRIF SpA.
(d) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Time, of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters.
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(e) Officers Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied as set forth herein at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
(f) Chief Financial Officers Certificate. At the time of execution of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, a certificate with respect to certain financial information contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, signed by the chief financial officer of the Company.
(g) Certificate of Selling Stockholders. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling Stockholder, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) each Selling Stockholder has complied in all material respects with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Time.
(h) Accountants Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from BDO USA LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants comfort letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from BDO USA LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(j) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(k) No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.
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(l) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the Persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(m) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company, any of its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Certificate of Selling Stockholders. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling Stockholder confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(g) remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, an opinion and negative assurance letter of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders. If requested by the Representatives, (i) an opinion of Whalen LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, and (ii) an opinion of Studio Professionale Associato a Baker & McKenzie, counsel for CRIF SpA, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, each dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(v) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representatives, a letter from BDO USA LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except that the specified date in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(vii) Chief Financial Officers Certificate. If requested by the Representatives, a certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the chief financial officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
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(n) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such customary documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(o) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an Affiliate)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and reasonable and documented expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (Marketing Materials), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and reasonable and documented expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and the Selling Stockholders;
(iii) against any and all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives, provided however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel in the aggregate for all Underwriters (in addition to a single local
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counsel)), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Marketing Materials, including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information or the Selling Stockholder Information.
(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in Section 6(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided that the Selling Stockholders shall be liable only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information; and provided, further, that the liability of each Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed the proceeds (net of any underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) from the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder (the Selling Stockholder Proceeds).
(c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Stockholders. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and reasonable and documented expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or any or any Marketing Materials, including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders, as applicable. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall
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not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) or settlement of any claim in connection with any violation referred to in Section 6(f) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(f) Indemnification for Reserved Securities. In connection with the offer and sale of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, their Affiliates (including Merrill Lynch) and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or Merrill Lynch within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending, investigating or settling any such action or claim), as incurred, (i) arising out of the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have been offered, (ii) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any other material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Invitees in connection with the offering of the Reserved Securities or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) caused by the failure of any Invitee to pay for and accept delivery of Reserved Securities which have been orally confirmed for purchase by any Invitee by 11:59 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of the Agreement or (iv) related to, or arising out of or in connection with, the offering of the Reserved Securities.
(g) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section 6 shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to indemnification.
(h) Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
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by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions, or in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(f) hereof, which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders or by the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission or any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(f) hereof.
The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other documented expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public and (ii) the contribution by any Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Section 7 shall not exceed for each such Selling Stockholder, the Selling Stockholder Proceeds (without duplication of any amounts such Selling Stockholder is obligated to pay under Section 6 above) and (iii) the Selling Stockholders shall be liable only to the extent that the relevant loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, in each case, which relates to the Selling Stockholder made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, in reliance upon and in conformity with any Selling Stockholder Information furnished to the Underwriters in writing by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein. The Underwriters obligations in this Section 7 to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint and the Selling Stockholders obligations in this Section 7 to contribute are several in proportion to their Selling Stockholder Proceeds and not joint.
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No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriters Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
The provisions of this Section 7 shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to contribution.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the aggregate liability of each Selling Stockholder under such Selling Stockholders representations and warranties contained in Section 1(b) hereof, under any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement, under the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 6 and Section 7, or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement shall not exceed the Selling Stockholder Proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company or any person controlling any Selling Stockholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE MKT or the New York Stock Exchange has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
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(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17 and 18 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the Defaulted Securities), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 24 hours within which to procure other persons reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase Defaulted Securities upon such terms. After giving effect to any arrangement for the purchase of Defaulted Securities by the Representatives and the Company as provided in the preceding sentence:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company and any Selling Stockholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Default by One or More of the Selling Stockholders. If a Selling Stockholder shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Stockholder or Selling Stockholders are obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Stockholders do not exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by them hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Stockholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters may, at option of the Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders, either (i) terminate this
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Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17 and 18 shall remain in full force and effect or (ii) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve the Selling Stockholder so defaulting from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
In the event of a default by any Selling Stockholder as referred to in this Section 11, each of the Representatives, the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required change in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
SECTION 12. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to BofA at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (facsimile: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (facsimile: (212) 230-8730); Credit Suisse at Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010; and Barclays at 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, attention of Syndicate Registration (facsimile: (646)  ###-###-####). Notices to the Company shall be directed to it at MeridianLink, Inc., 1600 Sunflower Ave., Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626, attention of General Counsel. Notices to the Selling Stockholders shall be directed to each of the Attorneys-in-Fact named in the Power of Attorney, c/o the Company at the address set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, attention of General Counsel, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Whalen LLP, 1601 Dove Street, Suite 270, Newport Beach, California 92660.
SECTION 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and does not constitute a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Stockholder, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Stockholder on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company or any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and each Selling Stockholder, (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory, investment or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (f) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person.
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SECTION 14. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section 14, a BHC Act Affiliate has the meaning assigned to the term affiliate in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). Covered Entity means any of the following: (i) a covered entity as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a covered bank as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a covered FSI as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). Default Right has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. U.S. Special Resolution Regime means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 15. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 16. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Stockholders and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 18. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the Specified Courts), and each party irrevocably submits to the
36
exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such partys address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
SECTION 19. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 20. Counterparts and Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.
SECTION 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
[Signature Page Follows]
37
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact for the Selling Stockholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
MERIDIANLINK, INC. |
By |
| |
Title: |
THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS, acting severally |
By: |
|
Title: As Attorney-in-Fact acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule B hereto |
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC | ||
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. | ||
By |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $[●].
The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $[●], being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $[●] per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Name of Underwriter | Number of Initial Securities | |||
BofA Securities, Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC | [● | ] | ||
Barclays Capital Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. | [● | ] | ||
BTIG, LLC | [● | ] | ||
Nomura Securities International, Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | [● | ] | ||
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. | [● | ] | ||
Blaylock Van, LLC | [● | ] | ||
Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc. | [● | ] | ||
Tigress Financial Partners LLC | [● | ] | ||
|
| |||
Total | [● | ] | ||
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|
Sch A - 1
SCHEDULE B1
Number of Initial Securities to Be Sold | Maximum Number of Option Securities to Be Sold | |||||||
[Tim Nguyen] | [● | ] | [● | ] | ||||
[Serent] | [● | ] | [● | ] | ||||
CRIF SpA | [● | ] | [● | ] | ||||
Antares Holdings LP | [● | ] | [● | ] | ||||
|
|
|
| |||||
Total | [● | ] | [● | ] | ||||
|
|
|
|
1 | Note: Schedule to be updated with final participants. |
Sch B - 1
SCHEDULE C-1
Pricing Terms
1. | The Company and the Selling Stockholders are selling [●] shares of Common Stock. |
2. | The Selling Stockholders have granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [●] shares of Common Stock. |
3. | The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $[●]. |
Sch C - 1
SCHEDULE C-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
[●]
Sch C - 2
SCHEDULE C-3
Testing-the-Waters Materials
[●]
Sch C - 3
SCHEDULE D
List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up
[●]
Sch D - 1
[Form of lock-up from directors, officers or other stockholders pursuant to Section 5(l)]
Exhibit A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2021
BofA Securities, Inc.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Underwriting Agreement
c/o | BofA Securities, Inc. |
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o | Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
c/o | Barclays Capital Inc. |
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Re: | Proposed Public Offering by Project Angel Parent, LLC (to be renamed MeridianLink, Inc.) |
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
The undersigned, a securityholder and/or an officer and/or a director, as applicable, of Project Angel Parent, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, which, immediately after the effectiveness of the registration statement relating to the Public Offering (as defined below), will convert into a Delaware corporation pursuant to a statutory conversion (the Conversion) and change its name to MeridianLink, Inc. (Project Angel Parent, LLC (to be renamed MeridianLink, Inc. in connection with the Conversion) together with its direct and indirect subsidiaries is hereafter referred to as the Company), understands that BofA Securities, Inc. (BofA), Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit Suisse) and Barclays Capital Inc. (together with BofA and Credit Suisse, the Representatives) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) with the Company and the selling stockholders named therein providing for the public offering (the Public Offering) of shares (the Shares) of the Companys common stock (the Common Stock). In recognition of the benefit that the Public Offering will confer upon the undersigned as a securityholder and/or an officer and/or a director, as applicable, of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, during the period beginning on the date of this lock-up agreement (this Lock-Up Agreement) and continuing through the close of trading on the date that is 180 days after the date set forth on the cover of the final prospectus
Exh A - 1
used to sell the Shares (the Prospectus) (the Lock-Up Period), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of BofA, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of the Companys Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or any Company securities, equity interests, units, profits interests or the like relating to Project Angel Parent, LLC prior to completion of the Conversion, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the Lock-Up Securities), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-Up Securities, or file, cause to be filed or cause to be confidentially submitted any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or (ii) enter into any swap, loan or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap, loan or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned is not a party to any transaction described in subclauses (i) or (ii) above with respect to the Lock-Up Securities as of the date hereof. If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed shares of Common Stock the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent the undersigned has demand and/or piggyback registration rights under any registration rights agreement described in the Prospectus, the undersigned may notify the Company privately that the undersigned is or will be exercising its demand and/or piggyback registration rights under any such registration rights agreement following the expiration of the Lock-Up Period and undertake preparations related thereto; provided that the foregoing notification and/or preparations do not request, require or result in the filing or confidential submission of a registration statement with the Commission (as defined below) or any other public announcement or activity regarding such registration by the undersigned, the Company or any third party during the Lock-Up Period (and no such filing, confidential submission, public announcement or activity shall be voluntarily made or taken by the undersigned, the Company or any third party during the Lock-Up Period).
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (1) BofA agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of the Common Stock, BofA will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (2) the Company has agreed or will agree in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service (or other medium and method acceptable to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver (for the avoidance of doubt, the Blackout-Related Release (as defined below) shall not be deemed a release or waiver under this Lock-Up Agreement and is instead an expiration of the Lock-Up Agreement pursuant to its terms). Any release or waiver granted by BofA hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such public notification. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (i) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (ii) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer or distribute the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of BofA, provided that it shall be a condition to the transfer or distribution that (1) in the case of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) below, any such transfer or distribution shall not involve a disposition for value, (2) in the case of (i), (ii), and (iii), (A) any such transfer shall not be required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) and (B) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public
Exh A - 2
filing or report regarding any such transfer or distribution (other than a required Form 5 filing that includes a statement indicating the reason for such transfer and is filed no earlier than 40 days following the Companys first fiscal year-end following the date of the Prospectus related to the Public Offering); (3) in the case of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (ix) below, the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be; and (4) in the case of (iv), (v), (vi) and (ix) below, the undersigned does not voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfer or distribution and if the undersigned is legally required to file a report under Section 16 of the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period to report such transfer or distribution, the undersigned shall clearly indicate in the footnotes in such report that such report relates to the circumstances described in (iv), (v), (vi) and (ix) below, as the case may be, and further in the case of (iv) below, the footnotes in such report shall also clearly indicate that the transfer or distribution is not for value and that the Lock-Up Securities so transferred or distributed remain subject to the restrictions in this Lock-Up Agreement:
(i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts; |
(ii) | to any member of the undersigneds immediate family or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); |
(iii) | by will or the laws of intestate succession; |
(iv) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (B) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition without consideration by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders; |
(v) | to the Company (and not to any third party, including, without limitation, sales of securities on the open market pursuant to sell-to-cover transactions or otherwise) in connection with the vesting or settlement of restricted stock units or the net or cashless exercise of options or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock, including any transfer to the Company of shares of Common Stock necessary to generate such amount of cash needed for the payment of taxes, including estimated taxes, due as a result of the vesting or settlement of restricted stock units or the exercise of options or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock whether by means of a net settlement or otherwise, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such vesting, settlement or exercise shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and in all cases, pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in the Prospectus; |
(vi) | to the Company in connection with the repurchase of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, |
Exh A - 3
which plan is described in the Prospectus, or pursuant to the agreements pursuant to which such shares were issued, as described in the Prospectus, provided that such repurchase of shares of Common Stock is in connection with the termination of the undersigneds relationship with the Company; |
(vii) | pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Companys capital stock involving a Change of Control of the Company, provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Agreement. For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, Change of Control shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an underwriter pursuant to the Public Offering), of the Companys voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity); |
(viii) | any transactions described under the heading Corporate Conversion in the Prospectus, provided that any such shares of Common Stock or other securities received upon such conversion or reclassification (or similar transaction) shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement; |
(ix) | by operation of law, such as pursuant to a final qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement; |
(x) | to the underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; or |
(xi) | with the prior written consent of BofA on behalf of the underwriters. |
Furthermore, the undersigned may enter into a written plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act after the date of this Lock-Up Agreement relating to the sale of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock, if then permitted by the Company, provided that the securities subject to such plan may not be transferred until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period and no public announcement, report or filing under the Exchange Act, or any other public filing or announcement, shall be legally required or shall be voluntarily made regarding the establishment of such plan during the Lock-Up Period.
Furthermore, the undersigned may sell shares of Common Stock of the Company purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the Public Offering if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Commission, or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the offering of the securities and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Companys transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
Exh A - 4
In addition, and notwithstanding the provisions of the first paragraph of this Lock-Up Agreement, if (i) at least 120 days have elapsed since the date set forth on the cover of the Prospectus (the Public Offering Date) and (ii) the Lock-Up Period is scheduled to end during a Blackout Period (as defined below) or within five Trading Days (as defined below) prior to a Blackout Period, the Lock-Up Period shall end ten Trading Days prior to the commencement of the Blackout Period (the Blackout-Related Release), provided, that (i) in the event that ten Trading Days prior to the commencement of the Blackout Period is earlier than 120 days after the Public Offering Date, the Lock-Up Period shall end on the 120th day after the Public Offering Date but only if such 120th day is at least five Trading Days prior to the commencement of the Blackout Period (and, if not, then the provisions of the first paragraph of this Lock-Up Agreement shall remain in place); (ii) promptly upon the Companys determination of the date of the Blackout-Related Release and in any event at least five Trading Days in advance of the Blackout-Related Release, the Company shall notify the Representatives of the date of the impending Blackout-Related Release, and shall announce the date of the Blackout-Related Release through a major news service, or on a Form 8-K, at least two Trading Days in advance of the Blackout-Related Release; and (iii) the Blackout-Related Release shall not occur unless the Company shall have filed or furnished its earnings results on a Form 8-K for the quarterly period during which the Public Offering occurred. For purposes of this paragraph, a Trading Day is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market are open for the buying and selling of securities, and Blackout Period means a broadly applicable period during which trading in the Companys securities would not be permitted under the Companys insider trading policy. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the Lock-Up Period end earlier than 120 days or later than 180 days after the Public Offering Date.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Lock-Up Agreement will automatically terminate and the undersigned will be released from all obligations hereunder upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the date, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that the Company advises BofA in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the date, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that the Company files an application with the Commission to withdraw the registration statement related to the Public Offering, (iii) the date the Underwriting Agreement is terminated following its execution (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder, or (iv) July 31, 2021, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date; provided, however, that the Company may (if authorized by its board of directors or managers), by written notice to the undersigned prior to such date, extend such date for a period of up to three additional months.
In the event that any of the Representatives withdraws from or declines to participate in the Public Offering, references to such Representative contained in this Lock-Up Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the remaining Representatives that continue to participate in the Public Offering (the Remaining Representatives), and, in such event, any written consent, waiver or notice given or delivered in connection with this Lock-Up Agreement by the Remaining Representatives shall be deemed to be sufficient and effective for all purposes under this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the state of New York.
The undersigned and the Representatives hereby consent to the receipt of this Lock-Up Agreement in electronic form and understand and agree that this Lock-Up Agreement may be signed electronically. An electronic signature complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed an original signature for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed copy of this Lock-Up Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of this Lock-Up Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
Exh A - 5
Very truly yours, | ||
[if signatory is an individual] | ||
Signature: |
| |
Print Name: |
|
[if signatory is an entity] |
Entity: |
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Signature: |
| |
Name: |
| |
Title: |
|
[Signature Page to Lock-Up Agreement]
Exhibit B
FORM OF PRESS RELEASE
TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3(j)
MERIDIANLINK, INC.
[Date]
MeridianLink, Inc. (the Company) announced today that BofA Securities, Inc., the lead book-running manager in the Companys recent public sale of [●] shares of common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Companys common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 2021, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Exh B - 1